Those of you who've been following my slapsadaisical progress on my new book (916 pages and still counting, as of today) are probably aware that a "gator freighter" called the Makin Island plays a big role in the story.

So imagine my surprise and pleasure to discover on today's bike ride down along the Embarcadero, this, tied up at Pier 80:

Yep, that's her, the Makin Island, in all her glory. They're giving tours to the general public. I'll be doing that tomorrow, you betcha!

Do I treat Glocks like I treat my lawn mowers? No, I treat them worse. I treat my defensive weapons like my fire extinguishers and smoke detector - annual maintenance and I expect them to work when needed

You know Bill, you're quite lucky...I actually remember, at one point when I was stationed at Ft Lewis, that the city of Olympia refused a port call by the USS Olympia. A US Navy ship (OK, submarine) named after the city.

Because the peacenik idiots running the city council felt that welcoming the sub would be 'endorsing war' or some such nonsense.

Fortuna Fortis Paratus“In the house of a wise man are stores of food, wine, and oil, but the foolish man devours all he has.” Proverbs 21:20"We are content with discord, we are content with alarms, we are content with blood, but we will never be content with a master." -Pashtun malik, 1815

American parachutists...devils in baggy pants...are less than 100 meters from my outpost line. I can't sleep at night; they pop up from nowhere and we never know when or how they will strike next. Seems like the black-hearted devils are everywhere....

Soon to be scrapped, and sadly without a replacement to bear the name.

I know Gerald Ford was a Navy man, and by all accounts a thoroughly decent guy, but honestly, what did he do that merits naming any ship, much less a carrier, after him? (Personally, I say the same about GHW Bush. Solid, not spectacular. And the most Carter should have had named after him is a tugboat. One wearing a sweater.)

Change the Ford to the Enterprise, and the Carter to the Charlie Lockwood if it needs to be named after a prominent submariner.

Fortuna Fortis Paratus“In the house of a wise man are stores of food, wine, and oil, but the foolish man devours all he has.” Proverbs 21:20"We are content with discord, we are content with alarms, we are content with blood, but we will never be content with a master." -Pashtun malik, 1815